International Hydropower Association - Climate mitigationhttps://www.hydropower.org/topics/technical/climate-mitigation
enIdentifying, quantifying and maximising the multiple benefits of hydropowerhttps://www.hydropower.org/blog/identifying-quantifying-and-maximising-the-multiple-benefits-of-hydropower
<div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/content_image/public/photo%20-%20Rance%20Estuary_web.jpg?itok=nkTSegb7" width="400" height="247" alt="Boating on the Rance Estuary, France" title="Boating on the Rance Estuary, France (photo supplied by EDF)" /></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em>By the International Hydropower Association and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa</em></p>
<p><img alt="Boating on the Rance Estuary, France" class="Image img__fid__13241 img__view_mode__aside attr__format__aside attr__field_congress_year[und]___none" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/aside/public/photo%20-%20Rance%20Estuary_web.jpg?itok=yh3KjD_6" title="Boating on the Rance Estuary, France (photo supplied by EDF)" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>Hydropower continues to be a catalyst for growth around the world as it remains the dominant form of renewable energy, having contributed over 16 per cent of the globe’s electricity production in 2016. Its role in driving economic development, particularly in countries such as China, Brazil, Norway and Canada where it provides a significant amount of low-cost, resilient and reliable power and energy related services is well documented. </p>
<p>However, often overlooked and under-valued are the multipurpose non-power related benefits that can be created by the construction and operation of a hydropower plant which can’t be ascribed to other forms of energy generation. The absence of a widely used and accepted methodology to clearly define and quantify these benefits can, in some cases, impede hydropower development potentially impacting plans for meeting the power needs of developing and emerging economies and the aims set out in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.</p>
<p>The power-related benefits of hydropower include: the capacity to provide both base-load and maximum peak load generation and ancillary services are provided through fast-responding, flexible generation to compensate for load variations over many time scales. In addition, hydropower can provide flexible energy storage to balance intermittent renewable technologies which ensure grid stability and frequency control. Furthermore, it can reduce dependence on imported, often fossil fuel based electricity which can be subjected to periods of great price volatility. Quantifying these power-related benefits can be relatively straight forward as power is generated and sold in a regulated market.</p>
<p>Over and above providing electricity generation, multipurpose hydropower reservoirs can provide additional services through regulating flows for uses such as water supply, irrigation, flood and drought control, environmental management and climate mitigation. The reservoirs themselves can also provide local and regional development through the creation of activities such as navigation, fisheries, recreation and most recently, act as a platform for other forms of energy generation such as floating solar PV.</p>
<p>Hydropower development can enhance and create secondary industries (e.g. related manufacturing activities) while also helping them to integrate within regional and global value chains which further increase employment and training opportunities across a range of skilled and non-skilled areas. Its development can also improve local infrastructure from roads and bridges to even education and healthcare provision in some regions and the benefit often transcend borders. </p>
<p>In West Africa, the 128 MW Sambangalou hydropower interconnection project located on the Gambia River will not only provide Gambia, Guinea-Conakry, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal with sustainable, low-cost electricity but it will have a positive impact on the region’s infrastructure, economic connectivity and agricultural sector.</p>
<p>One of the most comprehensive evaluations of the hydropower sector’s macroeconomic contribution was conducted by the consultancy DNV GL in 2015. Focusing on Europe, it found that the total value created by the hydropower sector was roughly EUR 38 billion per year with projections of up to 90 billion by 2030. The sector also supports around 100,000 full time jobs across Europe, investing on average between EUR 8 and 12 billion each year. Furthermore, unlike other forms of renewable energy, the report found that the sector contributes EUR 15 billion in annual tax revenues, far outweighing the limited subsidies granted to small hydropower projects.</p>
<p>In addition, the study estimated that the multipurpose benefits of hydropower projects including reservoir functions such as water supply, navigation and tourism contributed a further EUR 10 to 20 billion each year highlighting the significant value of the sector’s non-power related benefits to European society. This could be mirrored in other regions of the world where it is currently underutilised such as Africa which has only 34 GW of installed capacity compared to Europe’s 223 GW despite having similar hydropower potential. However, it is still an incomplete picture, as the study did not account for a number of additional services such as flood control, noting the complexities involved in quantifying these benefits. </p>
<blockquote><p>The hydropower sector supports around 100,000 full time jobs across Europe, investing on average between EUR 8 and 12 billion each year."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The challenge for the sector is developing practical, reliable and replicable tools that can identify and value all the benefits that the hydropower sector delivers for society both at a system and project level.</p>
<p>For any hydropower project to capture and optimise all the socio-economic and environmental benefits, while reducing any negative impacts, they need to be explicitly integrated in the planning process in close co-ordination with stakeholders. </p>
<p>This not only improves the decision-making process, ensuring that projects are being built in the right place in the right way, but also enhances a plant’s risk-reward profile for developers, governments and private sector investors by recognising a project’s true value. By ensuring that a project’s full value is quantified and recognised, there is also a greater probability of avoiding or mitigating any delays when seeking planning permissions and approvals.</p>
<h3>EDF’s Value Creation methodology</h3>
<p>At a project level, EDF SA, operator of over 450 hydropower installations worldwide and manager of 75 per cent of France’s surface water storage, has been actively engaged in assessing the benefits created for stakeholders associated with hydropower reservoirs since 2013. EDF’s work has focused on developing a systematic check-list and tool for hydropower operators to identify and analyse the created value of a project’s development and operation.</p>
<p>In 2016, EDF finalised its first ‘Hydropower Value Creation Guidance’ to be used to aid the decision-making process with operators and stakeholders working together to ensure a system-scale approach is taken to the development of projects. The guidance is based around five overarching categories for assessment containing both monetary and non-monetary values and includes: (1) electricity services, (2) socio-economic values, (3) societal values, (4) environmental values, and (5) risk management. </p>
<p>To assess these categories, the EDF methodology provides a nine-step evaluation process which takes into account macroeconomic statistics as well as data collected by the operator. Quantifying the benefits associated with certain categories can be a complex task so further work is to be undertaken to strengthen the methodology. This relates to the environmental impacts and benefits as well as indirect and induced job creation related to hydropower on a very localised project or community scale.</p>
<p>The methodology displays the results in three ways (as shown in the image below) so it can be clearly communicated to operators, decision-makers and stakeholders: (1) synthesised table of main results, (2) a map showing the spatial distribution of values, and (3) a temporal graph of value creation across the different categories. </p>
<p><img alt="EDF value creation methodology" class="Image img__fid__13246 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_congress_year[und]___none" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/EDF%20value%20creation%20methodology_for%20web.jpg?itok=634PdC39" title="Three ways in which EDF's Value Creation Methodology can display results" typeof="Image" /></p>
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<p>To date, the methodology has been applied to projects in France, Canada and Laos. In assessing the Durance-Verdon basin, an area with a high density of hydropower in the south-east of France, the methodology confirmed that the non-power benefits associated with the multi-purposes reservoirs were seven to nine times higher than the turnover related to the production of electricity. The methodology has also been applied to the world’s first tidal power plant in La Rance, Brittany. </p>
<p>In Quebec, Canada, Hydro-Québec is finalising its assessment of some ten power stations along the Saint-Maurice River by applying EDF’s methodology using a complementary scale. The Mauricie region has benefited greatly from the development of hydropower and this assessment is providing a clearer picture of the values created. Even today, the hydroelectric complex contributes to different industries, such as tourism, as well as, navigation activities or environmental activities.</p>
<p>In Laos PDR, the methodology has been applied to the 1,075 MW Nam Theun 2 project, the largest hydropower project in the country which started commercial operation in 2010. The assessment highlighted not only the significant economic contribution it is making to the country through royalties, income tax, job creation but also its positive impacts on poverty alleviation and provision of health and education services. </p>
<p>Following this assessment, EDF is seeking to refine the methodology when applying it to developing countries to allow assessment of future value creation at new projects over time, which is often complicated in the absence of reliable public economic and societal baseline data and development scenarios. Further information on the examples cited and how EDF’s methodology accounts for the value created can be found at Annex A. </p>
<h3><strong>Conclusion </strong></h3>
<p>Hydropower plants are highly valuable assets with benefits far beyond power generation, which will be critical to meeting the future climate and water needs of the globe.</p>
<p>Developing a comprehensive a methodology to identify, quantify and maximise the multiple benefits of hydropower development will help ensure that its value to society is optimised and not undervalued. In addition, by applying the methodology in the preparation phase of the project’s life cycle as opposed to simply existing projects, it can be used to better engage stakeholders from the onset and also identify and minimise risks to help ensure projects are developed in a sustainable manner. EDF, for example, intends to test its methodology on power projects under development.</p>
<p>Building on the work carried out by EDF, the challenge for the sector is to refine and further develop a practical, replicable and credible methodology that accurately captures all the values (both positive and negative) associated with the development of hydropower across all conditions in a transparent manner. This will require continued collaboration across countries and sectors focusing in particular on how to account for those non-power benefits which are complex to value, such as food security, health impacts and what economic-multiplier could be attached to hydropower development. </p>
<p>With several significant projects either under construction or close to completion such as the 6,000 MW Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and further plans in the pipeline including the Inga III project; hydropower will be an increasingly important component of Africa’s energy mix. Having an appropriate methodology in place, which is widely applied across the continent, will help ensure that all the multiple benefits of hydropower are optimised and enjoyed by society. </p>
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<p>We organised a focus session on the <a href="//www.hydropower.org/congress/sessions/benefits-of-hydropower">benefits of hydropower</a> during the 2017 World Hydropower Congress in Addis Ababa on 9-11 May. You can find presentations from the session <a href="//www.hydropower.org/congress/presentations">here</a> (please scroll down). </p>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-topics field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/freshwater-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Freshwater management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy/clean-energy-systems" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Clean energy systems</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Technical</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-mitigation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate mitigation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-resilience-and-adaptation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate resilience and adaptation</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/project-benefits" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project benefits</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business/regional-markets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional markets</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/downstream-flows" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Downstream flows</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-channel field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Channel:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/channel/congress-2017" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Congress 2017</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/channel/international-hydropower-association" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">International Hydropower Association</a></div></div></div>Tue, 27 Jun 2017 10:25:43 +0000IHA communications team9626 at https://www.hydropower.orgGuest blog: More water storage needed for a sustainable futurehttps://www.hydropower.org/blog/guest-blog-more-water-storage-needed-for-a-sustainable-future
<div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/content_image/public/Wyaralong%20Dam_sized%20for%20web_0.jpg?itok=DEIjEWyy" width="400" height="247" alt="Wyaralong Dam" title="Wyaralong Dam, South East Queensland, Australia" /></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="intro-para">Global declines in water storage are increasingly troubling. With greater hydrological variability due to climate change, more storage will be vital to provide the same level of security of water, food and energy. Water storage is a fundamental protection from the impacts of a changing climate, safeguarding the supply of water, and the water–food–energy nexus, even during extended drought.</p>
<p><img alt="Wyaralong Dam" class="Image img__fid__13046 img__view_mode__aside attr__format__aside attr__field_congress_year[und]___none" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/aside/public/Wyaralong%20Dam_sized%20for%20web_0.jpg?itok=G-vRZRA3" title="Wyaralong Dam, South East Queensland, Australia" typeof="Image" />For thousands of years, dams have stored water to irrigate crops, control flooding, and more recently to supply water for industrial and household use, and generate hydroelectric power – contributing enormously to food security, human development and economic growth.</p>
<p>These days, many dams serve more than one function, but remain the primary mechanism for coping with the variability of water supply and demand. During the last century, more than 45,000 dams higher than 15 m have been constructed worldwide, creating a combined storage capacity estimated to be between 6,700 and 8,000 km<sup>3</sup>, representing 17 per cent of global annual runoff.</p>
<p>Security of water, food and energy are inextricably linked. For example, approximately 50 per cent of all large dams worldwide are used for irrigation. Without sufficient water storage, irrigated agriculture (the largest user of water at the global level, contributing 40 per cent of the world’s food) is at the mercy of changing patterns of rainfall and runoff. </p>
<p>Understanding water storage issues is essential for successfully managing water resources. At the simplest level, it is a matter of ‘inflow (water supply) less outflow (water demand) equals change in storage’. But it is particularly important to understand whether storage declines relate to reducing supply, increasing demand, or both. The answer is both, and more.</p>
<p>Key factors influencing storage are greater variability of inflows due to climate change, increased demand due to population growth, reduced net storage due to sedimentation, and less dam construction occurring worldwide due to environmental and social impacts.</p>
<h4><strong>Climate change</strong></h4>
<p>The effects of climate change are predicted to increase and to result in greater magnitude and frequency of hydrological extremes, such as prolonged droughts and significant floods. With prolonged drought, inflows to storages will reduce. If demand remains the same, stress on existing water storages will increase.</p>
<p>In a 2015 report, the Climate Council of Australia stated that Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth, with some of the world’s most variable rainfall and stream-flow. The country has been deeply affected by drought throughout its history, with the most recent being the ‘Big Dry’ of 1996–2010 (also called the Millennium Drought) which went down in history as one of the worst droughts on record for Australia, with devastating impacts.</p>
<p>This prolonged drought ended in some areas of Australia with major flooding. In the state of Queensland, flooding began in December 2010 and continued into 2011 with at least 90 towns and over 200,000 people affected. Final damage was estimated to be USD 2.38 billion.</p>
<p>Storage can help protect communities from the impacts of these extreme events.</p>
<h4><strong>Population growth</strong></h4>
<p>It is estimated that in 2017 Earth supports around 7.5 billion people, yet 200 years ago the number was less than 1 billion. Population and water demand are strongly linked. With our world population increasing at around 80 million people per year, rising demands for basic services and growing desires for higher living standards will intensify the demand for water and put additional strain on existing storages.</p>
<h4><strong>Sedimentation</strong></h4>
<p>Many of the larger reservoirs worldwide have had their lifespans reduced significantly due to deposits of sediment within the storages, diminishing net storage in many regions of the world.</p>
<p>A number of these reservoirs were designed for 50-65 years of functionality until sediments would reduce their operational capacity. Although in these cases the reduction in storage was expected, it still results in a reduction in total storage, and therefore requires a response.</p>
<p>Globally, the annual rates of loss relative to installed storage capacity are generally estimated to range between 0.5 and 1.0 per cent, equating to a total worldwide loss of storage of around 40 to 80 km<sup>3</sup> per year.</p>
<h4><strong>Reduced dam construction</strong></h4>
<p>Installation of large reservoirs peaked during the 1960s and 1970s, both in number and storage volume. However, some of these larger reservoirs caused significant environmental and social damage, bringing dam construction under great scrutiny and ultimately decreasing dam construction worldwide.</p>
<p>With less dam construction, some decommissioning of older dams and loss of storage due to sedimentation, net storage worldwide is falling, most dramatically in storage per capita. Such reduction in storage is likely to undermine reliability of supply.</p>
<p><img alt="graph - water storage - Entura" class="Image img__fid__13061 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_congress_year[und]___none" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/graph%20-%20full%20width%20web.jpg?itok=23xupnCX" title="GW Annandale, GI Morris &amp; P. Karki, Sediment Management at Reservoirs and Hydropower Plants" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>Few kinds of development projects arouse as much controversy as dams. However, large dams vary considerably in their environmental and social impacts. The severity of environmental impact is largely determined by the dam site. While dams at good sites can be very defensible from an environmental standpoint, those proposed at bad sites will be inherently problematic even if all feasible mitigation measures are properly implemented. The challenge is to find the good dam sites to enable these necessary water storages to be developed.</p>
<p>It is important to note that the 2000 World Commission on Dams Report marked a new focus on sustainability in the development of dam engineering projects, requiring the participation of affected communities in the project planning phase.</p>
<h4><strong>How can we take action?</strong></h4>
<blockquote><p>Good site selection is the most effective environmental mitigation measure."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The following actions form a useful response to reduced worldwide storage and the pressing need to increase water storage to maintain reliable water supply, irrigation and energy systems in a changing climate:</p>
<ol><li>
<p>Prioritise managing existing storages well, and recognise the importance of storages for maintaining reliable supply. Appropriately manage sedimentation and its impact. Employ near-real-time management of water based on improved information systems to ensure the best economic use of existing reservoirs </p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Explore opportunities to increase the storage capacity of existing reservoirs by raising dams. Often, this can be more cost-effective and have lower environmental impacts than a new dam project. It may also be possible to improve the use of existing storages by providing greater interconnection between storages. Greater interconnection between storages can enable greater flexibility in managing inflow variability across a region. </p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Identify dam sites, either on-stream or off-stream, which will minimise environmental and social impacts. Good site selection is the most effective environmental mitigation measure.</p>
</li>
</ol><p>The net decline in global reservoir storage demands a different mindset for analysing the economics and construction of sustainable dam projects. Rather than debating whether more dams are required, decision-makers must accept that more storage will be needed and should plan accordingly. </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-topics field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/freshwater-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Freshwater management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-mitigation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate mitigation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-resilience-and-adaptation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate resilience and adaptation</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/sediment-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Sediment management</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/project-benefits" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project benefits</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-channel field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Channel:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/channel/international-hydropower-association" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">International Hydropower Association</a></div></div></div>Thu, 08 Jun 2017 08:52:52 +0000Richard Herweynen9596 at https://www.hydropower.orgVideo: 2017 World Hydropower Congress highlightshttps://www.hydropower.org/blog/video-2017-world-hydropower-congress-highlights
<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/%3Fitok%3DGt1R3AAh" width="880" height="265" /><div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/content_image/public/blog-images/2017WHC%20video%20still.jpg?itok=TsziaF3y" width="400" height="247" alt="2017 congress video" /></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="intro-para">The 2017 World Hydropower Congress took place on 9–11 May in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The congress is a multi-stakeholder forum that brings together leaders and specialists with hydropower-related responsibilities from government, industry, finance, UN agencies, academia and civil society. </p>
<p>This year the congress was hosted in Africa for the first time, under the theme 'better hydro in an interconnected world'. This short video captures some of the highlights from the United Nations Conference Center.</p>
<p>To find out more about the event you can read about some of the <a href="//www.hydropower.org/news/2017-world-hydropower-congress-closes-with-commitments-to-better-hydro">closing commitments</a>, and see pictures and stories from <a href="//www.hydropower.org/blog/day-one-in-pictures-2017-world-hydropower-congress">day one</a>, <a href="//www.hydropower.org/blog/day-two-in-pictures-2017-world-hydropower-congress">day two</a> and <a href="//www.hydropower.org/blog/final-day-in-pictures-2017-world-hydropower-congress">day three</a>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-topics field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/freshwater-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Freshwater management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy/clean-energy-systems" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Clean energy systems</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/regional-interconnections" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional interconnections</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Technical</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-mitigation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate mitigation</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-resilience-and-adaptation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate resilience and adaptation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/modernisation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Modernisation</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/sediment-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Sediment management</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business/project-financing" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project financing</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/project-benefits" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project benefits</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business/regional-markets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional markets</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Environmental and social</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/resettlement" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Resettlement</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/indigenous-peoples" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Indigenous peoples</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/strategic-basin-planning" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Strategic basin planning</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/featured" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Featured</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/featured/hydropower-sustainability-assessment-protocol" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-channel field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Channel:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/channel/congress-2017" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Congress 2017</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/channel/international-hydropower-association" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">International Hydropower Association</a></div></div></div>Wed, 31 May 2017 13:40:30 +0000IHA communications team9546 at https://www.hydropower.orgDiscover the latest insights and trends in the 2017 Hydropower Status Reporthttps://www.hydropower.org/news/discover-the-latest-insights-and-trends-in-the-2017-hydropower-status-report
<div class="field field--name-title field--type-ds field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="dc:title"><h1 class="page-title">Discover the latest insights and trends in the 2017 Hydropower Status Report</h1></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="intro-para">The <em>2017 Hydropower Status Report</em> was launched at the opening of the World Hydropower Congress in Addis Ababa on Tuesday 9 May. It offers the latest insights into global developments in the sector, as well as in-depth regional analysis and key trends. </p>
<p><img alt="2017 Hydropower Status Report" class="Image img__fid__12301 img__view_mode__aside attr__format__aside attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__ attr__field_congress_year[und]__601" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/aside/public/news-main-image/2017%20Hydropower%20Status%20Report.jpg?itok=owmgLk_m" typeof="Image" />The report is available for download <a href="//www.hydropower.org/2017-hydropower-status-report">here</a>.</p>
<p>The report introduces new features, including a map of major transmission development worldwide and 17 new country profiles, as well as a broader range of key topic analysis. It looks in depth at key trends, including new initiatives to manage the risk profile of hydropower, reporting tools for the greenhouse gas footprint of reservoirs, the growing focus on climate resilience among financing institutions, and more. </p>
<p>The report presents the latest global development statistics by country and by region. In the past year, a total of 31.5 GW of new installed capacity has been added worldwide. This figure includes 6.4 GW of new pumped storage, nearly double the amount of the previous year, while a further 20 GW is currently under construction around the world. This development can largely be put down to the role hydropower plays in balancing other renewable sources, such as solar and wind. </p>
<p>“The <em>2017 Hydropower Status Report</em> reveals steady growth in hydropower development over the past year. This is indicative of the increasingly important role it plays in providing flexible support to other renewable energy systems, as countries around the world take steps to meet the carbon reduction goals of the Paris Agreement,” said Richard Taylor, chief executive of IHA. </p>
<p>The report is compiled using data from IHA’s global hydropower database, which has been developed in close collaboration with regulators, ministries and electricity associations, as well as station owners and operators. </p>
<p>Download the report <a href="//www.hydropower.org/2017-hydropower-status-report">here</a>. </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/freshwater-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Freshwater management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy/clean-energy-systems" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Clean energy systems</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/regional-interconnections" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional interconnections</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy/water-footprint" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Water footprint</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Technical</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-mitigation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate mitigation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-resilience-and-adaptation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate resilience and adaptation</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/modernisation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Modernisation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/sediment-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Sediment management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/project-financing" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project financing</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business/project-benefits" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project benefits</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/regional-markets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional markets</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Environmental and social</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/resettlement" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Resettlement</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/indigenous-peoples" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Indigenous peoples</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/strategic-basin-planning" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Strategic basin planning</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/downstream-flows" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Downstream flows</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/featured" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Featured</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/featured/hydropower-sustainability-assessment-protocol" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><div id="file-12301" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">
<h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/2017-hydropower-status-reportjpg">2017 Hydropower Status Report.jpg</a></h2>
<div class="content">
<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/news-main-image/2017%20Hydropower%20Status%20Report.jpg" alt="2017 Hydropower Status Report" /> </div>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-channel field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Channel:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/channel/congress-2017" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Congress 2017</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/channel/international-hydropower-association" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">International Hydropower Association</a></div></div></div>Tue, 09 May 2017 06:07:52 +0000IHA communications team9386 at https://www.hydropower.orgGreenhouse gas and reservoirs research pushes forward in Chinahttps://www.hydropower.org/blog/greenhouse-gas-and-reservoirs-research-pushes-forward-in-china
<div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/content_image/public/GHG%20sampling%20in%20the%20field%20resized.jpg?itok=KP87yS0G" width="400" height="247" alt="Photograph of Chinese scientists taking measurements in a reservoir" title="Chinese scientists taking measurements in the field (Source: Li Zhe)" /></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="intro-para">Although recent studies have shown that the gross greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Chinese reservoirs were not as high as previously estimated, there are nonetheless increased efforts to measure the GHG exchanges of reservoirs in China.</p>
<p><img alt="Photograph of Chinese scientists taking measurements in a reservoir" class="Image img__fid__6171 img__view_mode__aside attr__format__aside" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/aside/public/GHG%20sampling%20in%20the%20field%20resized.jpg?itok=jvp-4oXi" title="Chinese researchers taking measurements in the field (Source - Dr Li Zhe)" typeof="Image" />Current research looks at how the creation of a new reservoir could potentially impact on the quantity of GHG emissions, which are naturally produced by all freshwater bodies.</p>
<p>China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) has been involved in a large-scale international research project on the GHG status of reservoirs, which draws on the ongoing work of the International Hydropower Association (IHA) and UNESCO.</p>
<p>“CTG has contributed with data, publications and active participation in discussions on measurements, data analysis and the development of modelling tools like the GHG reservoir tool,” said Dr Atle Harby, a member of the UNESCO-IHA working group.</p>
<p>“This is a very valuable contribution, and I am very happy that CTG has taken this scientific challenge seriously and is currently supporting further measurements, analysis and gaining more knowledge.”</p>
<p>In May 2015, following the World Hydropower Congress in Beijing, a symposium on reservoir carbon cycling and carbon flux was held in Yichang, Hubei Province, a riverside city close to both the Three Gorges and Gezhou dams.</p>
<p>The event was sponsored by the China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG), and co-organised by the Changjiang River Scientific Institute of the Changjiang Water Resource Commission, and Chongqing Institute of Green Intelligence and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.</p>
<blockquote><p>This will mean that fewer existing reservoirs will need to have their GHG status measured directly, and it will also help in the planning of new reservoirs."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>More than 30 scientists took part in the symposium, including representatives from IHA and the Chinese hydropower sector. The programme included a site visit to the Geheyan reservoir, a hydropower project situated on the Qingjiang cascade, which is a large tributary of the Yangtze River. This was complemented by a full day of presentations and discussion.</p>
<p>Chinese scientists presented up-to-date research on the GHG status of reservoirs in China, including discussions of methodology and the presentation of their most recent results.</p>
<p>Experts from the UNESCO-IHA working group on the GHG status of reservoirs also updated participants on the development of the GHG reservoir tool, G-res, which will allow for accurate estimations of net GHG emissions at reservoir sites.</p>
<p>Although this event was the first of its kind in China, Chinese scientists have been undertaking research in this area for more than eight years. Since the publication of the GHG measurement guidelines by the UNESCO/IHA project in 2010, scientists have been undertaking field surveys and sampling to collect the data necessary for the development of the new G-res tool. </p>
<p><img alt="Photograph of Chinese scientists and members of the UNESCO/IHA working group taking part in a symposium" class="Image img__fid__6176 img__view_mode__aside attr__format__aside" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/aside/public/GHG%20symposium%20resized.jpg?itok=U2VL1tuA" title="Results of this research were presented at the symposium on reservoir carbon cycling in Yichang, Hubei Province (Source - Dr Wang Chaohui)" typeof="Image" />“CTG has been applying the measurement guidelines, and this experience has provided us with valuable feedback as we move the project forward” explained Richard Taylor, chief executive of IHA.</p>
<p>“The participation of scientists from China in a reference group around the effort to build a predictive capacity for assessing the GHG status of freshwater reservoirs is very important. This will mean that fewer existing reservoirs will need to have their GHG status measured directly, and it will also help in the planning of new reservoirs.”</p>
<p>Chinese scientists are already looking ahead. “Through quantification of net reservoir GHG emissions, the next step is to carry out life cycle analysis of Chinese hydropower projects, especially of the large and multipurpose projects in the Yangtze basin,” explained Zhiyu Sun, director in the division of science, technology and environmental protection at CTG. </p>
<p>This will not only shed light on the complexity of the carbon cycles in Chinese reservoirs, but also enable large hydropower projects in China to be developed sustainably while ensuring the lowest possible environmental impact.</p>
<p>Moving forward, increased international collaboration is likely to drive future research. “With the support of the CTG team, we hope to expand our cooperation with the wider Chinese scientific community,” said Richard Taylor. “This will be of huge benefit to these research initiatives and will help us to achieve our common objectives.”</p>
<hr /><p>You can read more about IHA's work on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions <a href="//www.hydropower.org/cn/topics/technical/ghg-emissions">here</a>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-topics field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Technical</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-mitigation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate mitigation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-channel field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Channel:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/channel/congress-2017" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Congress 2017</a></div></div></div>Thu, 17 Sep 2015 10:32:16 +0000IHA communications team4086 at https://www.hydropower.org2015 World Hydropower Congress: days two and three in pictureshttps://www.hydropower.org/blog/2015-world-hydropower-congress-days-two-and-three-in-pictures
<div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/content_image/public/blog-images/RMT.jpg?itok=Lxxh8PFY" width="400" height="247" alt="Richard Taylor congress closing" /></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="intro-para">The 2015 World Hydropower Congress has drawn to a close. Here we take a look at the highlights of the final two days of the congress.</p>
<hr /><h2>The African Union Commission convenes the day two opening plenary</h2>
<p><img alt="Elham Ibrahim" class="Image img__fid__5216 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Elham-Ibrahim.jpg?itok=1d6g8ToX" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>H..E. Dr Elham Ibrahim, African Union Commissioner for Energy and Infrastructure, spoke in the opening plenary on <em>Africa: the future of hydropower </em>on day two of the congress. The session explored the untapped potential for hydropower development in Africa, and the challenges in building partnership across boundaries.</p>
<hr /><h2>Can we achieve 2050 GW by 2050 sustainably?</h2>
<p><img alt="Jacob Irving" class="Image img__fid__5221 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Jacob-Irving.jpg?itok=ud21gtmX" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>Jacob Irving, president of the Canadian Hydropower Association, spoke in the session on 2050 GW by 2050, which explored how world hydropower capacity might be doubled in the next generation. </p>
<hr /><h2>How does hydropower fit into the water–energy nexus?</h2>
<p><img alt="Marie-Jose Nadeau" class="Image img__fid__5226 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Nadeau-panel.jpg?itok=_MO6lfH3" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>Marie-Jose Nadeau, chair of the World Energy Council (WEC), was among the speakers in the session on the water–energy nexus and how hydrpower fits into the picutre. A new WEC report produced in collaboration with IHA shows that hydropower is set to continue its strong growth rate.</p>
<hr /><h2>The congress venue: integrating renewable energy</h2>
<p><img alt="Solar panels" class="Image img__fid__5231 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Solar-panels.jpg?itok=_OsU-JU8" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>The World Hydropower Congress took place at Beijing's iconic Sunrise Kempinski Hotel at Yanqi Lake. The complex is powered by a complementary mixture of renewable energy sources. A solar photovoltaic system is applied to the main building’s roof, while a hydropower dam nearby on the lake is fitted with solar panels. Find out more <a href="//www.hydropower.org/blog/yanqi-lake-a-beacon-of-sustainable-design-in-the-yan-mountains" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<hr /><h2>Ministers give perspectives on hydro development in Asia</h2>
<p><img alt="Asia panel" class="Image img__fid__5236 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Asia-panel.jpg?itok=vEWYweZ-" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>In a session moderated by Ashok Bhargava, director of the Asian Development Bank's East Asia Division, government representatives from Pakistan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Tajikistan and Loas provided an overview of development trends in the region, as well as a development bank insight from IFC.</p>
<hr /><h2>The closing ceremony begins on Yanqi Island</h2>
<p><img alt="Yanqi Island" class="Image img__fid__5241 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Cool-building.jpg?itok=cKBR5DIt" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>The closing session of the congress took place in the spectacular Yanqi Island Conference Centre.</p>
<hr /><h2>IHA vice presidents and committee chairs report on progress</h2>
<p><img alt="IHA vice presidents" class="Image img__fid__5246 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/IHA-vice-presidents.jpg?itok=b6Ovsm2Q" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>During the closing ceremony, the vice presidents and committee chairs of the International Hydropower Assocation updated delegates on progress with the current work programme.</p>
<hr /><h2>Li Jugen, CSHE, delivers closing speech</h2>
<p><img alt="Li Jugen" class="Image img__fid__5251 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Li-Jugen.jpg?itok=c-oGiCsT" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>Li Jugen, vice standing president and acting secretary-general of the China Society for Hydropower Engineering, gave an animated speech at the closing ceremony of the congress.</p>
<hr /><h2>Ten commitments for hydropower: congress pledges new actions</h2>
<p><img alt="Closing speech" class="Image img__fid__5256 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/RMT-closing.jpg?itok=tU5I30ra" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>In his final address to congress delegates, IHA chief executive Richard Taylor outlined ten commitments that the association pledges to deliver following the discussions in Beijing. Read more here.</p>
<hr /><h2>Congress organisers gather on stage</h2>
<p><img alt="IHA staff" class="Image img__fid__5261 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Congress-staff.jpg?itok=HoK44iey" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>At the closing of the congress, the organising team was invited onto stage, including members of the IHA Board and staff, as well as organising partners and sponsors.</p>
<hr /><h2>Delegates enjoy outdoor closing banquet</h2>
<p><img alt="Evening participants" class="Image img__fid__5266 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Evening-participants.jpg?itok=2F6B2OEf" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>The final day concluded with an outdoor banquet and live entertainment, at the beautiful shores of Yanqi Lake.</p>
<div>
<hr /><p>The 2015 World Hydropower Congress is taking place in 19–21 May in Beijing, China. You can view the full programme <a href="//www.hydropower.org/congress/agenda" target="_blank">here</a>, or read about the topics on the agenda in our <a href="//www.hydropower.org/blog" target="_blank">blog</a>.</p>
</div>
</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-topics field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/freshwater-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Freshwater management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy/clean-energy-systems" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Clean energy systems</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/regional-interconnections" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional interconnections</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy/water-footprint" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Water footprint</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Technical</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-mitigation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate mitigation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-resilience-and-adaptation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate resilience and adaptation</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/modernisation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Modernisation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/sediment-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Sediment management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/project-financing" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project financing</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business/project-benefits" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project benefits</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/regional-markets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional markets</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Environmental and social</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/resettlement" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Resettlement</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/indigenous-peoples" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Indigenous peoples</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/strategic-basin-planning" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Strategic basin planning</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/downstream-flows" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Downstream flows</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/featured" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Featured</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/featured/hydropower-sustainability-assessment-protocol" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-channel field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Channel:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/channel/congress-2017" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Congress 2017</a></div></div></div>Wed, 20 May 2015 09:14:11 +0000IHA communications team3451 at https://www.hydropower.org2015 World Hydropower Congress: day one in pictureshttps://www.hydropower.org/blog/2015-world-hydropower-congress-day-one-in-pictures
<div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/content_image/public/news-main-image/Ken-Adams-opening-ceremony.jpg?itok=TyAea2Ss" width="400" height="247" alt="Ken Adams opening ceremony speech" /></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="intro-para">The 2015 World Hydropower got under way at the iconic Sunrise Kempinski Hotel at Yanqi Lake, Beijing, China on Tuesday 19 May. Here are some of the best moments from the opening day.</p>
<hr /><h2>Delegation leaders meet for the Hydropower Consultative Council</h2>
<p><img alt="Hydropower Consultative Council" class="Image img__fid__5121 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Hydropower-Consultative-Council.jpg?itok=_u0wO108" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>On the morning of the opening day, high-level representatives of the congress delegations gathered at Yanqi Hotel State Guest House for the Hydropower Consutative Council. The meeting brought together key figures from government, academia, civil society, finance and industry to discuss strategies for the hydropower sector. </p>
<hr /><h2>Congress participants gather at Sunrise Kempinski Hotel</h2>
<p><img alt="Sunrise Kempinski Hotel" class="Image img__fid__5126 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Kempinski.jpg?itok=FueIe5j2" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>Afte the Consultative Council, participants headed to the stunning Kempinski Sunrise Hotel on Yanqi Lake for the World Hydropower Congress opening ceremony. You can read more about the venue <a href="//www.hydropower.org/blog/yanqi-lake-a-beacon-of-sustainable-design-in-the-yan-mountains" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<hr /><h2>IHA president Ken Adams officially opens the congress</h2>
<p><img alt="Ken Adams opening ceremony speech" class="Image img__fid__5176 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Ken-Adams-opening-v2.jpg?itok=ED0gV-4V" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>IHA president Ken Adams officially opened the congress with a speech to packed hall of delegates, saying that "if we are to meet the challenges of a changing climate and global freshwater management, the contribution of hydropower and the multiple benefits it provides cannot be ignored". You can read more about the opening day speeches <a href="//www.hydropower.org/news/world-hydropower-congress-opens-in-beijing" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<hr /><h2>Bringing together diverse perspectives to build a common language on hydropower</h2>
<p><img alt="Congress floor" class="Image img__fid__5136 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Congress-floor.jpg?itok=lXXRhNF3" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>Over 1,000 representatives of government, civil society, the finance sector, academia and industry gathered in the Grand Ballroom of the Sunrise Kempinski Hotel for the congress.</p>
<hr /><h2>Wang Lin, president of China Three Gorges Corporation, addresses delegates</h2>
<p><img alt="Wang Lin" class="Image img__fid__5141 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Wang-Lin.jpg?itok=QwOWf_ur" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>The first part of the opening ceremony featured a number of VIP speakers from hydropower organisations and companies in China. Among them was Wang Lin, president of China Three Gorges Corporation. In his speech he told delegates that "Hydropower sustainability is associated with the wellbeing of the whole of society".</p>
<hr /><h2>Jin-Yong Cai, CEO of IFC, participates in a panel discussion</h2>
<p><img alt="Jin-Yong Cai panel discussion" class="Image img__fid__5146 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/JYC-panel.jpg?itok=oONxOatI" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>The second part of the opening ceremonies featured a high-level panel of speakers to discuss international collaboration and hydropower development. The panel included Jin-Yong Cai, president and CEO of the International Finance Corporation. He said: "Middle income and large emerging economies are influencing the development of hydropower worldwide through demonstration effects – by showing how these projects can be managed well to the benefit of their populations."</p>
<hr /><h2>The welcome banquet begins</h2>
<p><img alt="Greg Tracz and Wan Qianzi" class="Image img__fid__5151 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Greg-and-Wan.jpg?itok=aMZREFS4" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>On the evening of the opening banquet, delegates headed to the beautiful nearby Temple of Heaven venue for the welcome banquet. Wan Qianzi and Greg Tracz hosted the evening, which featured a number of special awards and live entertainment.</p>
<div>
<hr /><h2>IHA welcomes new members CFE, King &amp; Spalding and K-water</h2>
<p><img alt="New IHA members presentation" class="Image img__fid__5166 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/New-members.jpg?itok=6751DQLO" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>During the welcome banquet, the International Hydropower Association presented three new member companies: King &amp; Spalding and Comisión Federal de Electricidad at the platinum level, and K-water at the gold level. You can see IHA's membership directory <a href="//www.hydropower.org/membership-directory" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
</div>
<hr /><h2>Lin Chuxue and Li Jugen receive special awards</h2>
<p><img alt="Lin Chuxue Li Jugen awards" class="Image img__fid__5156 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Lin-Chuxe-Li-Jugen.jpg?itok=1p-Etwbo" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>IHA president Ken Adams (right) presented special awards to Lin Chuxue (left, China Three Gorges Corporation) and Li Jugen (centre, China Society for Hydropower Engineering) acknowledging their invaluable contribution to the association and to the sector.</p>
<hr /><h2>The 2015 Mosonyi Award for Excellence in Hydropower is presented</h2>
<p><img alt="Lin Chuxue Li Jugen awards" class="Image img__fid__5161 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Mosonyi-Award-winners.jpg?itok=MygQXrEN" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>Mr Adams also presented Luiz Gabriel Azevedo (Odebrecht), and Dr Helen Locher (Hydro Tasmania) with the 2015 Mosonyi Award for Excellence in Hydropower. Jean-Étienne Klimpt is also a recipient of the 2015 award, but was not able to attend the ceremony. Read more <a href="//www.hydropower.org/news/azevedo-klimpt-and-locher-win-the-2015-mosonyi-award-for-excellence-in-hydropower" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<hr /><h2>Sami Khan receives the IHA Young Researcher Award 2015</h2>
<p><img alt="Sami Khan Young Researcher Award" class="Image img__fid__5171 img__view_mode__full_width attr__format__full_width attr__field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]__" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/text_width/public/Sami-Khan.jpg?itok=9pVEt9ty" typeof="Image" /></p>
<p>The final presentation of the night was the IHA Young Researcher Award 2015, which was awarded to Sami Khan of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for his work on hydrophobic rare-earth oxide coatings and their potential application in hydropower systems. You can read Sami's article about the research <a href="//www.hydropower.org/blog/the-case-for-versatile-hydrophobic-rare-earth-oxide-coatings-in-hydropower-systems" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr /><p> </p>
<p>The 2015 World Hydropower Congress is taking place in 19–21 May in Beijing, China. You can view the full programme <a href="//www.hydropower.org/congress/agenda" target="_blank">here</a>, or read about the topics on the agenda in our <a href="//www.hydropower.org/blog" target="_blank">blog</a>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-topics field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/freshwater-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Freshwater management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy/clean-energy-systems" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Clean energy systems</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/regional-interconnections" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional interconnections</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy/water-footprint" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Water footprint</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Technical</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-mitigation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate mitigation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-resilience-and-adaptation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate resilience and adaptation</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/modernisation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Modernisation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/sediment-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Sediment management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/project-financing" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project financing</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business/project-benefits" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project benefits</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/regional-markets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional markets</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Environmental and social</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/resettlement" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Resettlement</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/indigenous-peoples" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Indigenous peoples</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/strategic-basin-planning" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Strategic basin planning</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/downstream-flows" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Downstream flows</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/featured" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Featured</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/featured/hydropower-sustainability-assessment-protocol" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-channel field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Channel:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/channel/congress-2017" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Congress 2017</a></div></div></div>Tue, 19 May 2015 16:16:41 +0000IHA communications team3421 at https://www.hydropower.orgHydropower generation and potential around the worldhttps://www.hydropower.org/blog/hydropower-generation-and-potential-around-the-world
<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/%3Fitok%3D8t3q8RBW" width="880" height="265" /><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="intro-para">This short video introduces the role of hydropower in the world today and the future challenges for sustainable development.</p>
<p>The total installed capacity for hydroelectricity has now surpassed 1,000 GW, and there remains vast untapped potentials around the world, especially in developing countries.</p>
<p>In 2013, there was more hydro commissioned than solar and wind energy and experts predict that hydropower capacity could double by 2050 (IEA). Our challenge is to do this sustainably.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-topics field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/freshwater-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Freshwater management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy/clean-energy-systems" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Clean energy systems</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/regional-interconnections" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional interconnections</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy/water-footprint" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Water footprint</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Technical</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-mitigation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate mitigation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-resilience-and-adaptation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate resilience and adaptation</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/modernisation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Modernisation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/sediment-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Sediment management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Business</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/project-financing" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project financing</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business/project-benefits" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project benefits</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/business/regional-markets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional markets</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Environmental and social</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/resettlement" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Resettlement</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/indigenous-peoples" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Indigenous peoples</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/strategic-basin-planning" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Strategic basin planning</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/environmental-and-social/downstream-flows" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Downstream flows</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/featured" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Featured</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/featured/hydropower-sustainability-assessment-protocol" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-channel field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Channel:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/channel/congress-2017" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Congress 2017</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/channel/international-hydropower-association" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">International Hydropower Association</a></div></div></div>Fri, 22 Aug 2014 16:28:26 +0000IHA communications team1671 at https://www.hydropower.orgDiscussing multipurpose hydropower at the 2017 Dresden Nexus Conferencehttps://www.hydropower.org/blog/discussing-multipurpose-hydropower-at-the-2017-dresden-nexus-conference
<div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/content_image/public/Maria%20cropped_1.jpg?itok=AHuSlxM_" width="978" height="604" alt="Maria Ubierna Dresden Nexus " title="Maria Ubierna, hydropower sector analyst at IHA, speaks on a panel on &amp;#039;roles of multifunctional reservoirs in the SDG agenda&amp;#039;" /></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="intro-para">IHA participated in the second biennial Dresden Nexus Conference (DNC) on 17-19 May. The conference brings together researchers and implementers to discuss the closely linked issues of water, soil and waste. </p>
<p><img alt="Maria Ubierna Dresden Nexus " class="Image img__fid__12941 img__view_mode__aside attr__format__aside attr__field_congress_year[und]___none" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/aside/public/Maria%20cropped_1.jpg?itok=H2bLs3rr" title=" UNU-FLORES/Jan Rieger" typeof="Image" />The theme of this year's <a href="http://www.dresden-nexus-conference.org/2017/">Dresden Nexus Conference</a> was ‘Sustainable Development Goals and the Nexus Approach: monitoring and implementation’. It was agreed at the first DNC in 2015 that applying the ‘Nexus approach’ was key to the sustainable use of environmental resources in the context of global change. The aim at DNC 2017 was therefore to delve into the implementation and monitoring strategies.</p>
<p>IHA presented ‘the role of hydropower as a driver for multipurpose reservoirs’ during a session on the roles of multifunctional reservoirs in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) agenda. Factors such as the growing population - with half of the world’s population expected to live in water-stressed areas by 2030 - climate change, and a shift to clean energy systems, contribute to the need for more water storage and sustainable management of freshwater systems. Hydropower is critically positioned at the core of the water and energy nexus, and can therefore contribute to achieving SDGs 2 - Zero Hunger, 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation, 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy, and 13 - Climate Action.</p>
<blockquote><p>In our changing climate, storage hydropower is also set to play an increasingly important role in managing the risks of natural disaster."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Hydropower is the leading renewable source of electricity generation globally, supplying almost three quarters of all renewable electricity. Developing hydropower increases the share of renewable energy and provides firm capacity to support the intermittency of other renewable energy sources. Pumped storage and storage hydropower represent 99 per cent of the world’s large-scale electricity storage key to absorb the surplus of other renewables energies. <a href="//www.hydropower.org/country-profiles/china">China</a> is leading in this area, with the aim of reaching a total 40 GW of pumped storage capacity by 2020, to balance the rapid growth in solar and wind power coming online.</p>
<p>Hydropower dams represent 25 per cent of the world’s large dams. According to the ICOLD register 2015, 60 per cent of hydropower dams are single-use, while the remaining 40 per cent have multiple uses. Hydropower can act as an enabler of more multipurpose dams. Storage hydropower can be combined with other freshwater services such as water supply for irrigation, domestic and industrial purposes, navigation and tourism. In our changing climate, storage hydropower is also set to play an increasingly important role in managing the risks of natural disaster. Extreme precipitation events such as flood and drought are likely to increase in intensity and frequency, and storage hydropower has the capacity to reduce the severity of floods and provide water when needed.</p>
<p>However, such benefits can only be realised if projects are built in the right place and in the right way. The <a href="http://www.hydrosustainability.org/">Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol</a> is an important tool for supporting sustainable practices in hydropower development, and so far over 20 assessments have been carried out at projects around the world. We recently published a <a href="//www.hydropower.org/better-hydro-compendium-of-case-studies-2017">collection of case studies</a> as part of the ‘Better Hydro’ initiative exploring some of these examples of good practices in sustainable hydropower. IHA is also involved in discussions around the development of the ‘Hydropower Preparation Support Facility’, which would provide a framework to ensure projects are developed in the right place and in the right way. A session on this topic was organised at the <a href="//www.hydropower.org/congress/sessions/hydropower-preparation-support-facility">World Hydropower Congress</a> in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 9-11 May.</p>
<p>IHA also participated in a ‘World Café’ roundtable session at the DNC2017. Our contribution focused on multifunctional land-use systems, implementation, and management options. We highlighted existing achievements and bottlenecks to integrated management of environmental resources, besides future research and implementation needs. Our emphasis was on the integration of multifunctional land-use systems such as multipurpose reservoirs, to deliver numerous benefits to stakeholders. We pointed out, however, that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and implementation must be tailored to the local context. Future research should focus on the trade-offs and inter-linkages of benefits, and how to enable participatory approaches and multi-criteria decision analysis, to incorporate the interests of local land users. </p>
<p>Stephan Uhlenbrook of UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) highlighted the need for effective monitoring during the closing session, stating that “you cannot manage what you cannot measure”. The need for analysis of intra- and inter-linkages between SDGs and reporting is key for the accountability of policies.</p>
<p>Ambassador Csaba Kőrösi, director for environmental sustainability, office of the president of the Republic of Hungary, encouraged the Nexus community to not be afraid of using indicators. He encouraged the creation of as many as necessary to monitor and report on progress towards the SDGs. He also stressed the need to open up discussions of the Nexus approach to stakeholders in the social science, finance and economic fields to enrich the sustainability of the nexus and boost the sustainable achievement of SDGs. Finally, he called for greater involvement from industry, who will ultimately be responsible for implementing the nexus approach, and he pointed out the need for integrative approaches to keep in mind interregional integration. </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-topics field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Policy</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/policy/freshwater-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Freshwater management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Technical</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-mitigation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate mitigation</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-resilience-and-adaptation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate resilience and adaptation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/sediment-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Sediment management</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business/project-benefits" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project benefits</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/featured" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Featured</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/featured/hydropower-sustainability-assessment-protocol" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-channel field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Channel:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/channel/international-hydropower-association" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">International Hydropower Association</a></div></div></div>Wed, 31 May 2017 13:10:19 +0000Maria Ubierna9541 at https://www.hydropower.orgGreen bonds for hydropower financinghttps://www.hydropower.org/blog/green-bonds-for-hydropower-financing
<div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/content_image/public/green-bonds-photo-for-web.gif?itok=jSQ5xQmJ" width="400" height="247" alt="green bonds" title="Climate finance was a key topic of discussion at COP22, the United Nations climate change conference in Marrakech, Morocco, in November 2016" /></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="intro-para">This article is featured in the 2017 Hydropower Status Report, launched at the World Hydropower Congress in Addis Ababa in May 2017. You can download the report in full <a href="//www.hydropower.org/2017-hydropower-status-report">here</a> for analysis of other key topics for the hydropower sector and insights into regional trends.</p>
<p><img alt="green bonds" class="Image img__fid__12621 img__view_mode__aside attr__format__aside attr__field_congress_year[und]__601" src="//www.hydropower.org/sites/default/files/styles/aside/public/green-bonds-photo-for-web.gif?itok=gEL5QOri" title="Climate finance was a key topic of discussion at COP22, the United Nations climate change conference in Marrakech, Morocco, in November 2016" typeof="Image" />The Paris Agreement reached in December 2015 was hailed by many as a turning point in the fight against climate change. The agreement sets the target of limiting global warming to well below 2˚C compared to pre-industrial levels.</p>
<p>The challenge now is to turn the rhetoric into operational reality. It will require the mobilisation and alignment of the world’s financial markets to drive the significant investment needed in low-carbon and climate-resilient infrastructure.</p>
<p>This presents new and innovative funding sources for hydropower project financing; however, such opportunities will only be grasped with continued sector engagement shaping their development.</p>
<p>An emerging success story is the rapid growth of green bonds. These are fixed-income loans created to specifically finance projects that help address and reduce environmental and/or climate risks. Over USD 80 billion of labelled green bonds were issued in 2016, nearly doubling the previous year, but the market is still in its infancy.</p>
<blockquote><p>As a mature renewable technology, hydropower has already benefited from a third of the USD 130 billion energy-related unlabelled green bonds issued to date."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>According to the investor-focused not-for-profit Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), the green bond market will need to reach USD 1 trillion of investment per year by 2020 to be compatible with the Paris Agreement.</p>
<p>While initially led by multilateral development banks and the corporate sector, Poland became the first country to issue a green sovereign bond in late 2016, raising USD 750 million. This was followed by France in January 2017, raising USD 7.5 billion. Other countries including Sweden, Nigeria and Kenya are expected to quickly follow suit.</p>
<h3>Challenges for the hydropower sector</h3>
<p>As a mature renewable technology, hydropower has already benefited from a third of the USD 130 billion energy-related unlabelled green bonds issued to date, as compiled by the CBI, led by large issuances from the likes of Hydro-Québec. This figure only gives part of the picture though, as it excludes bond issuances involving large hydropower plants (deemed as greater than 20 MW) located in tropical zones. This is due to concerns over methane emissions, which has brought into question their green credentials.</p>
<p>Such concerns have unfortunately contributed to a binary approach of ‘small hydro is good, large hydro is bad’. This, however, fails to recognise that hydropower projects, unlike most other forms of energy sources, are unique, with site-specific characteristics. It also excludes the wider benefits that multipurpose reservoirs provide, such as using their storage capabilities to contribute to even higher levels of mitigation through the provision of firming capacity for other forms of renewable energy. Furthermore, hydropower projects offer the ability to strengthen resilience and adaptation services through appropriate water management.</p>
<p>We are already seeing negative outcomes play out, with a number of green bond issuances excluding all large hydropower investment. Among these is Poland’s green sovereign bond, which excludes projects greater than 20 MW, presenting these alongside coal, natural gas and palm oil.</p>
<p>This poses a significant challenge for hydropower’s future involvement in the market, and highlights the importance of the sector being heavily engaged with those organisations seeking to assess and develop criteria that certify its climate compatibility. In an effort to prevent ‘greenwashing’ as the market develops, these standards will become more harmonised and integrated into how green bond issuances are structured and promoted.</p>
<p>In June 2016, the CBI launched the Hydropower Technical Working Group to begin the process of developing the criteria for the screening of climate-compatible hydropower.</p>
<h3>Developing criteria for hydropower</h3>
<p>Bringing together a host of experts from NGOs, government and academia, the working group is taking a robust science-based approach to developing the criteria. The working group is drawing on the substantial work that the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol has undertaken in developing international good practice guidelines for the sector in promoting sustainable hydropower projects. Reliably estimating reservoir emissions allocated to hydropower is another complex task, which is being guided by the G-res tool. The tool was developed by UNESCO in conjunction with IHA and several research institutes worldwide.</p>
<p>The working group is looking to establish a simple and transparent climate mitigation screening process that could first apply a power density threshold (W/m2 reservoir surface area) for prospective projects. If required, projects would then have to comply with an emissions threshold (gCO2/kWh) using the G-res tool, which would take into account the multiple uses of many reservoirs. In certain circumstances further site-specific testing could be undertaken when projects do not meet these criteria.</p>
<p>In addition, the CBI’s criteria will address climate resilience through a set of measures to be incorporated into the development of hydropower projects. This is being informed by work the World Bank is undertaking to develop guidelines for designing resilient projects that are safe, reliable and can also provide adaptation services. Finally, by including aspects of the protocol, the group is developing criteria to ensure that projects demonstrate a strong appreciation of key non-climate-related environmental and social impacts.</p>
<p>The draft eligibility criteria are expected to be released in mid-2017 for public consultation. The working group will revisit the criteria following feedback from industry and other stakeholders. The Climate Bond Standards Board will then review the criteria before they can be used by the market.</p>
<p>Hydropower has a significant role to play in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. Supporting the growth of the green bonds market is an important step towards aligning emission reduction targets with appropriate market signals and incentives.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-topics field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-mitigation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate mitigation</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topics/technical/climate-resilience-and-adaptation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Climate resilience and adaptation</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topics/business/project-financing" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Project financing</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-field-channel field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Channel:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/channel/congress-2017" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Congress 2017</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/channel/international-hydropower-association" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">International Hydropower Association</a></div></div></div>Mon, 22 May 2017 11:01:52 +0000Nick Troja9476 at https://www.hydropower.org